Provision and development of Provision and development of Career Career Guidance in Estonia, Guidance in Estonia,
the role of NRCGthe role of NRCG
Margit Rammo
August 31st, 2011
Content
• Background• National development areas• NRCG• Service provision, structures and concept• Qualification and training • Quality assurance• Supporting materials• Cooperation mechanisms and NRCG• Main networks
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Republic of Estonia
• Living in this area since 2500 B.C;• Strategic location as a link between East and West;• Through the ages several kings and conquerors - Germans,
Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians; • By 1285, Tallinn was part of the Hanseatic League;• In the late 19th century - nationalist movement; • 24 February 1918, Estonia declared its independence;• forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940;• 1991 Estonians again reasserted their independence; • Population: ~1,3 million, ~ 1/3 in Tallinn• Language: Estonian• Land area: 45 215 sq km• 15 regions / counties; 226 local governments
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Background of Guidance in Estonia
• Practised since 1920s (during the first period of independence)
• Strongly influenced by the political situation• Closely related to psychology• Gap in the systematic development between 1993 and
1998• Revival in 1998/1999 (establishment of National
Resource Centre for Guidance; regional network)
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Agreement between two ministries
In 2008, contractual agreement to develop career services was signed between the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Social Affairs stating the areas of responsibility in providing high quality career
services to the whole population.
Development areas until 2013
• Development of methodology;• Development of training system;• Wider range of service provision;• Development of quality assurance;• Co-operation between different parties.
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NRCG: promoter, coordinator
NRCG has become the main partner of the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Social Affairs in developing career services.
12 staff members since 2008
Established 1998 as Euroguidance centre
NRCG: projects and programmes (1)
• Development of Career Services, ESF (85:15)– Aims and activities according to the agreement– 2008-2013, 4 474 000 €– Additional state support for service provision in regional centres,
yearly 150 000 €
• Euroguidance, LLP (50:50) www.euroguidance.net
– Promotion of mobility; exchange of experience in CG– 1998-2013, 94 462 € in 2011
• European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network, LLP (47:53)– Exchange of experience in policy development– Work-packages according to the EU resolution; www.elgpn.eu – 2007-2013, 36 786€ in 2011-2012
• Erasmus NICE, LLP– university network for innovation in guidance– focus: professionalization of career guidance specialists– 2010-2012; 5 768€
• Academia, LLP– Academia network www.academia-europe.eu – International 1-week study visits for practitioners– Since 2000– Out 90; in 104
NRCG: projects and programmes (2)
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Career Services Concept
In Estonia we have developed a concept of three guidance services within career guidance system:
Career education to help young people raise their self-awareness and the understanding of
the opportunity structure (learning and work), and acquire skills and attitudes to enter and succeed in the modern world of work
Career information to provide well-structured information about education, labour market and professions, and links between them
Career counselling to support people in making and
implementing informed career decisions
Career Guidance Structure
Ministry of Education
and Research
• Young people (7-26)
• Youth Work Act, Education Act
Private sector: mainly personnel recruitment and mediation services to companies, also through human resource management
Ministry of Social Affairs
• (Un)employed and official job seekers
• Labour Market Services Act
Guidance in the Education Sector
Part of youth work• Youth Information and
Counselling Centres YICC (17; 57)
• Open Youth Centres as a network of extended access
• Youth information fairs, Signpost, Intellektika etc.
Part of formal education• Cross-curricular theme
Lifelong learning and career planning (NEWS)
• Class teacher tutorials• Elective course• Career co-ordinators at
general education and VET schools (26+5)
• University career services (50)
Guidance in the Employment Sector
• Unemployment Insurance Fund• Regional employment offices • 13 labour market measures, incl career counselling• career information points
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Award of professional qualifications
Since 2005 there are 3 professional standards: – Career counsellors; – Career co-ordinators at schools;– Career information specialists.
Background - psychology, youth work, teacher training or social work.
Specialists who have worked for 3-5 years have the right to acquire a professional qualification.
Society of Estonian Career Counsellors - authorized organization for accreditation of career counsellors.
TrainingTraining
• Regular accredited basic training unavailable yet
• A variety of short and long-term courses
– Basic training by three universities (9EAP)
– N.Amundson Active engagement
– information retrieval skills, trends in economy and employment, solution oriented counselling, crises psychology etc.
– European study-visits Academia
– Innovative guidance methods to support mobility
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Quality Assurance
• Several tools are implemented to assure the quality of career services:– National Curriculum;
– Quality manuals and professional standards; guidelines;
– Evidence collection: client’s satisfaction surveys;
– Mentoring scheme;
– Ethic guidelines (IAEVG)
– Recognition process for practitioners and partners
Continues quality improvement as principle serves the needs
Quality indicators
…defined in the development plan of Innove 2011-2015
•Awareness of services (20% raise 2011-2015)•Awareness, visits of national portal (10% raise per year)•Full-time practitioners in centres (1+1)•Methodology, satisfaction of practitioners (85%)•Co-ordination, satisfaction of partners (85%)•Concept of CG, involvement of stakeholders (85%)•Service provision: groupsessions for priority groups (100%), individual counselling for priority groups (25%), systematid career education in schools (50%)•Service provision, satisfaction of clients (85%)
Supporting materials, tools
• Teacher books• Handbooks for counsellors• Information materials• Promotional materials • Career planning website Pathfinder www.rajaleidja.ee
– Youngster, adult, practitioner• Learning opportunities in Europe, PLOTEUS• Euroguidance network www.euroguidance.net
National Career Guidance Forum
National co-ordination and co-operation mechanism for stakeholders interested in the systematic approach to the development and provision of career guidance
•preparatory activities 2004 – 2006 (EU Joint Actions)
•negotiations in 2008 - rules of procedure, confirmation letters, action plan incl theme, time, role
•establishment: February 27th, 2009
•stakeholders (18), incl. ministries (3), employer, service provider representatives, end-user representatives, Unemployment Insurance Fund, Youth Work Centre, Innove / NRCG
National Career Guidance Forum 2009
Themes in action plan:
terminology, awareness raising, career education in schools, career information provision (labour market), services for adults
Results:
– terminology agreed and disseminated
– members proposals mapped:• awareness raising activities incl targets group, communication
channels, timing etc – trailer, conference
• priorities for career education (new curricula)
• priorities for career information provision
– labour market information in national portal renewed
– service provision for adults mapped
National Career Guidance Forum 2010
Themes in action plan:
sustainability, awareness raising, career information provision (labour market)
Results:
• the role of the forum renewed
• members informed about the developments in the field incl
– needs and opportunities for young unemployed
– needs and opportunities to develop a brand
– quality management
• dissemination conference for decision makers organised
• recognition of practitioners (statute, committee, ceremony)
• seminar “Role of lifelong guidance in national legislations” (ELGPN); legislation described
• terms of reference for the concept development proposed
National Career Guidance Forum 2011
Themes in action plan:
Implementation of the national ESF programme, participation in ELGPN, legislation of career guidance, concept of career guidance
Expected results:
• members informed about the developments in the field
• expectations and needs of clients, practitioners mapped
• the up-date of the legislation defined
• dissemination conference for decision makers organised
Career guidance networks at national level
•Regional youth information and counseling centers (17)•Basic and upper secondary schools (26)•Vocational education schools (5)•Career centers in higher education institutions (4)•Regional employment offices (15)
Other guidance networks
• Youth Information Centres• Other labour market services• Mobility network• Counselling centres for pupils with special needs
(speech therapist, psychologists, social pedagogues, special education teacher)
• School psychologists and activity leaders in schools
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Thank you!
More information:
www.innove.ee/career-services
Margit Rammo
National Resource Centre for Guidance
Head of Unit
+372 699 80 58
